Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello all

I recently became the owner of a beautiful 1988 360/6 in Jetglo.

It's generally in fantastic condition however the Rickenbacker logo lettering has faded/rubbed off noticeably in parts:



Should I just leave the lettering as-is?

Or would it be acceptable/not unwise to attempt a careful touch-up with a black automotive pen, such as this one (noting I'm in Australia, so this is a local store)?

Any thoughts, warnings, suggestions greatly appreciated.

If you have a steady hand, just use a Sharpie and a light touch.

An interesting question. Maybe just test a small area first to make sure it doesn't react badly with the plastic?

Cheers,

Andrew

Call me crazy, but part of the joy of having an old guitar is leaving it alone and letting it show its age and use.

I would steer clear of trying to bodge that with a touch-up. It's a 33-year-old guitar!

For the record, if I were to try this (and I probably wouldn't bother either!) I would tape the heck out of the edges of the letters.

If you really want to make perfect a 33 year old guitar that should show signs of wear, there really is no problem in fixing that TRC. It's an easy fix. The raised letters make it so.



Buy something similar to the above -- a sponge roller kit. Five bucks tops. All you have to do is put a very small amount of paint on the roller (keep it closer to dry than to soaked) and gently roll over the raised letters. If you go very easy on both the amount of paint and the way you roll it over the letters, the paint will not drip down or mar the flat surfaces. I've made my own TRC and the paint I used was just a standard black gloss paint for the black.

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

I'll give it some more thought before I take any drastic action.

I would apply some black paint to a piece of paper with a sponge, then flip your TRC upside down and lightly dip it (like a stamp) in the paint. I would think that would be easier and safer than using a roller.

Black Sharpie.

Sorry, but the roller idea sounds like a guaranteed disaster. Is that a serious suggestion?

The sponge roller could be a disaster, but maybe a harder rubber roller (called a "brayer"), like you'd use doing relief carving/lino printing. Put some paint on a hard, flat surface, use the roller to get a thin layer of paint on it, and then gently roll on the letters (after some masking as well, probably).

jdogric12 wrote:Sorry, but the roller idea sounds like a guaranteed disaster. Is that a serious suggestion?

Uhh, scroll a few posts up and take a look at the TRC I made myself. Does it look like I deal in disaster?

Another nod to the black sharpie- wedge point.

Haven't needed to use it on my Ric, but it's worked a treat on other worn, raised black letters where and when needed.

Thanks everyone. Still haven't taken any action but will continue to think about the best and safest option.

I would be torn, too. As easy a touch-up as it might be, some of my favorite RIC players also have worn lettering on their TRCs and it’s a testament to the years of playing those instruments have had.